Mark Wahlberg has faced grief (“The Lovely Bones”), war (“Three Kings”), a wave the size of a skyscraper (“The Perfect Storm”) and nothing less than the apocalypse. Twice (“The Happening” and “Planet of the Apes”). But his most draining, emotionally charged role to date? Would you believe a video game character?

“Two weeks out I was just dying,” Wahlberg said of his titular role in the upcoming video game adaptation “Max Payne.” “I wanted my life back.”

The film-noirish, John Woo-esque “Payne” was a huge hit when it premiered for PCs in 2001, spawning a sequel and selling more than 7 million units. But its success comes not just from gameplay, which is untranslatable to the big screen anyway, said Wahlberg, but from a surprisingly adult, sophisticated, and yes, complex lead character unusual for the medium.

“I read the script and said either somebody got really creative or it’s actually more like a movie than most games,” Wahlberg enthused.

“Max Payne is not a one-trick pony. It’s probably one of the edgier roles I’ve played but also the most layered. Here’s a very happy guy who worked a dismal job, had a beautiful family. But the beauty in his life was taken away. He just goes on a rampage. It’s all driven by emotion.”